12 months ago if you would have asked me where I would be spending the spring/summer months this year, no way I would have said India, Dubai and Malaysia, but keeping an open mind has led to some interesting opportunities and I am estatic about what’s coming up…when it feels right you just gotta run with it…

#1 India

Half my class recently got back from a 2.5 week consulting trip in India for our international business class. We were there learning all about business in India and scouting out expansion opportunities for our client. Those two weeks were jammed packed with meetings with high level exec’s from a wide range of companies – from a high growth venture capital firm to government agencies to large energy  companies to the GE Jack Welch R&D Center to Wipro Technologies to Coffee Day (the Starbucks of India) to trade comissions to Ernst and Young etc. etc. The thing that I was most blown away with, besides the caliber of companies and people we had the priviledge of meeting with, was their grace, humbleness and transparency. Not only were they open to any question we had but I also learned alot just observing their leadership style and demeanor; it was an absolute pleasure. We spent the first 5 days in Mumbai and also 5 days in Bangaluru.

________________________________________________________________________________________

#2 Our Native Village

In between the hustle and bustle of the big cities of Mumbai and  Bangaluru, we spent 2 nights at Our Native Village, an eco resort and holistic health center. What a treat it was as it gave us a small taste of the spiritual side of India – we did yoga in the morning, we milked cows, we lounged by the self-cleaning pool, we ate only organic vegetarian compassion food (trade marked!), we played games with sticks and cans, we made pottery, we were fortunate enough to meet the founder and hear the story of how the resort came to be and the healings that have taken place there, we drank and told jokes, we got traditional massages and steam baths and we danced like no one was watching. A truly memorable experience it was.

________________________________________________________________________________________

#3 Amazing Dubai 

I LOVE this city. Although we were only there for about 36 hours at the tail end of our trip, we saw just enough to get a taste of what it has to offer and to intice us to go back one day! We went to the beach, we saw the tallest building in the world and dancing fountain right below it, we went to the markets, we went out on the town and lastly we went on a desert safari where we went sand dunning, camel riding, and finished the day off with a huge bbq and dance/show at a camp in the middle of no where. I can’t wait to go back!

________________________________________________________________________________________

#4 Bring on Malaysia! 

I’m now back in Vancouver for a few days before I leave for my summer internship on May 14th. I’ll be spending 3 months in Malaysia working at a company called MindValley and I couldn’t be more excited!! The CEO is a true visionary, the company has an unreal culture (read: a meditation room in the office – sign.me.up!), there are around 30 countries represented in the office and I’ll be helping the team with their BHAG of creating the Silicon Valley in Malaysia. More on the experience to come but all I know is it’s gonna be good and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity!

Overall, there’s so much learning to continue to be had and so many moments to be captured in the next short while. I can’t wait to experience it all.

That’s a quick update…stayed tuned!